Can you get an MRI without insurance?

A:

Quick Answer

It is possible to get an MRI without medical insurance. The average cost of an MRI in the United States is $2,611, explains Lacie Glover for NerdWallet. This price is a product of the many components involved in performing a MRI.

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The MRI machine costs between $150,000 and $1.2 million. This variance is because the quality of the MRI machine can vary greatly depending on the magnetic field strength. Machines with stronger magnetic fields take better images, and therefore are far more expensive. In addition, hospitals have to construct a suite for the MRI; this can cost anywhere from $3 to $5 million, notes Glover.

Other items that can affect the price of the procedure include whether the hospital uses dye and facility costs. There are no limits on the prices of MRI scans. Hospitals are not even required to disclose the price of the procedure beforehand, so do your research. Prices vary greatly from state to state and even from city to city. Also, the area of the body being scanned affects the price. The hospital itself could also have drastically different prices than the one across town. While you can get an MRI without medical insurance, if you want to keep the cost low, explore your options, recommends Glover.